The X Factor's Astro Expresses Doubt About His Bottom 2 Status Last Week

I’m not above admitting I may have spoken too soon when I credited The X Factor’s Astro for not being cocky. While I stand behind my opinions on his talent and his contributions to the show, his attitude during last week’s results show, added to the recent comments he’s made may only prove to be his undoing on the singing competition series. Chalk it up to his youth and the pressure he’s under, but as a fan, it was hard to watch him speak to the judges last Thursday night.

Last week’s results episode revealed that rapper/hip-hop teen Astro was in the Bottom 2 of the Top 10. Astro’s reaction to this was to deliver a half-hearted performance in an attempt to appeal to the judges, and then to defend himself afterward by saying, “If you're going to put me in the Bottom 2, I don't want to perform for people who don't want me here.” His poor attitude didn’t go unnoticed by the judges, but they gave him a pass, opting to eliminate Stacy Francis instead. Despite Astro’s attitude, based on overall performances, it was the right call. But Astro’s attitude may not help him win enough fans to stay in the competition much longer.

According to the Reporter, Astro says his attitude during the results show was due to “something that happened behind the scenes,” which he wouldn’t discuss further. He went on to express doubt that he was really in the Bottom 2, saying:

“Not to sound cocky, but I don’t see how you can have the most followers on Twitter of all the contestants, most views on YouTube of all the contestants, and be voted in the bottom two. So, I knew something was fishy… That’s why I spazzed out.”

Ugh. These kinds of comments are fine when they come from someone who isn’t the person possibly being short-changed, but coming from Astro, especially after how he acted on stage on Thursday, it really doesn’t help his case. Much like American Idol, The X Factor is as much a popularity contest as it is a talent contest. People vote for who they want to see win, which is not necessarily the most musically gifted act in contention. While a bad attitude doesn't necessarily hurt the right kind of song, a good one can go a long way in getting further in a competition like this.

Astro’s young and there’s a lot of pressure on all of the contestants, but hearing him allege that the contest is rigged makes me wonder if he hasn’t thrown in the towel, emotionally. If that’s the case, it’s disappointing as he’s my pick to win, though it’s going to be very difficult to stay hopeful that he has any chance of proving the voters wrong by stepping up his game if he’s going to start bad-mouthing the show that’s responsible for putting him in people’s living rooms each week, regardless of how the results turn out.